Accident Overview
On August 13, 2009, about 1541 mountain daylight time, a Beech A60, registration N99BE, experienced a total loss of engine power while cruising en route to Pocatello, Idaho. The pilot diverted to the nearest airport and made a forced landing in an open field about 1/4 mile from Bear Trap Airport, Minidoka, Idaho. The airplane nosed over during rollout and was substantially damaged. The commercial certificated pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, originating from Boise, Idaho, about 1430.
Fuel Management
The pilot reported that earlier in the day, he departed Boise with 89 gallons of fuel indicated on the fuel gauges. He believed that upon landing in Pocatello, 57 gallons remained, implying 32 gallons consumed. Prior to departing Pocatello for the return flight to Boise (approximately 190 miles), the pilot added 20 gallons, bringing the total to 109 gallons. During preflight, the pilot relied on the fuel tank gauges and fuel totalizer, estimating about 77 gallons on board at the 1430 takeoff. The gauges indicated tanks between 1/3 and 1/4 full. En route, the gauges decremented and eventually indicated about 1/4 full.
Radio Communications and Landing
According to the FAA coordinator, at 1536 the pilot transmitted to air traffic control that he had lost power in one engine. He headed toward Bear Trap, 39 miles short of his destination. About 5 minutes later, he broadcast that both engines were without power. The forced landing occurred about 1/4 mile from Bear Trap; the airplane touched down on uneven, soft terrain and nosed over.
Post-Accident Inspection
The FAA coordinator inspected the airplane and found an estimated 2 gallons of fuel in one tank; the other tank was dry. No fuel was observed in the main fuel lines to the engines.
Maintenance and Pilot Currency
The airplane's last annual inspection was performed at least 7 years before the accident. The pilot reported 100 hours of operation in the past 6 years. His last flight review was in 2002, and his last aviation medical certificate was issued in 2004.
Fuel Consumption Computations
At the direction of the Safety Board investigator, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation performed fuel consumption computations. Based on Beech data, an A60 would be expected to consume about 56 gallons from Boise to Pocatello and about 50 gallons for the return, totaling about 106 gallons.
Pilot Acknowledgment
The pilot acknowledged in his report that no mechanical malfunctions or failures occurred and that "the engine failure was due to fuel exhaustion."